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Hey BariatricPal Members! Happy Thanksgiving! It’s a time for family, friends, fun, and food. It’s even a time for health! Don’t believe it? We’ll walk you through some ways to stay sane and even keep losing weight. Here’s the run-down of this holiday newsletter. Giving Thanks: This Year More Than Ever Surviving the Thanksgiving Table: A Few Hacks Healthy Ideas for Thanksgiving Weekend We hope this newsletter helps empower you to make healthy choices and to appreciate everything you have. We certainly appreciate all of our BariatricPal members! Thanks for everything, and Happy Thanksgiving! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Giving Thanks: This Year More Than Ever The purpose of Thanksgiving is to give thanks. It’s a chance to remember what we’re truly grateful for. So often that gets lost in the hubbub of making the perfect turkey, cleaning the house to the standards of your fussy mother-in-law, and scheduling trips to the airport to pick up the cousins, nieces, and nephews who are dropping into town for the long weekend. So Much to Be Thankful for Don’t forget to dedicate some attention to being grateful. Look beyond your daily chores, struggles with food and weight, and challenges in your relationships. Silly as it may seem, naming some of the parts of your life that you are grateful for can help you appreciate them a lot more. What about your family, your home, and your weight loss surgery? What about…? -being a lot lighter than you were last year at this time. -knowing a lot more about the WLS journey and what it takes to succeed. -being more confident in yourself and your ability to live healthier. -being able to participate in more activities without holding others back. The BariatricPal Store: Helping You While Following Our Dream BariatricPal has no trouble finding things to be grateful for. For example, we are so thankful for The BariatricPal Store! It’s another way we help the weight loss surgery community achieve their goals and dreams. The BariatricPal Store is the place to go for: -protein powders, bars, and shakes -high-protein, low-carb snacks -high-protein, low-calorie hot and cold breakfasts and entrees -bariatric vitamins Thanksgiving weekend is a great time to shop The BariatricPal Store! Through Sunday, use coupon code BP10Thanksu for a 10% discount off your total order! It’s our way of saying “Thanks!” Our Sincere Gratitude for BariatricPal Members At the top of the list of things BariatricPal is thankful for are our members. You keep the boards going. Our members let BariatricPal continue to be the world’s premier online support system for the weight loss surgery community. Thank you for making it possible! A Reminder to Be Good on Thanksgiving Ahh…Thanksgiving! Almost everyone looks forward to it because this may be the first break you’ve gotten since the summer. Thanksgiving can mean a few days off work, some family time, and the start to the holiday season. Don’t Throw Caution to the Wind But here’s a quick reality check before you get lost in celebrating the season. Let your guard down, and you could be looking at thousands of extra calories…in a single day. What a way to put a quick stop to your weight loss streak and your good intentions. Skip This, Choose That Here’s a quick sampling of some Thanksgiving disasters so you know what to avoid…and what to try instead. -Instead of sweet potatoes with sugar, butter, and marshmallows and pecans (400 calories), try baked sweet potatoes. -Instead of green bean casserole (200 calories), try steamed or roasted green beans or asparagus spears. -Instead of jellied cranberries (100 calories), make your own sauce with fresh or frozen cranberries and stevia. -Instead of pumpkin pie with whipped cream (500 calories), make low-carb pumpkin cheesecake with sugar substitute and fat-free cream cheese. In summary, stick to small portions, and skip the dishes that are sugary, fatty, or starchy…or all three of those! Stick to the Plan Day in, day out, you know the drill. Meals with some lean protein, a lot of vegetables, and some grains or fruit will get you where you want to go. That’s true on Thanksgiving, too. Go for skinless turkey, roasted vegetables, green salad without dressing, and fresh fruit, and you’ll be doing yourself a favor. And what’s also true, just like it is every other day of the year, is that you can get back on track if you get off. So enjoy your Thanksgiving, do your best to keep it healthy, and go right back to your healthy eating plan the next day. Healthy Ideas for Thanksgiving Weekend The meal is over. Maybe it went “well” for your weight loss surgery journey. Maybe it didn’t. Either way, it’s time to look forward. What will you do for the rest of the weekend? Here are a few ideas. Try Some Healthy Leftover Recipes What do you do with the leftovers from a 20-lb. turkey? Give thanks for a shortcut to healthy weight loss recipes! Turkey’s a lean source of protein and rich in nutrients. Why not experiment with healthy recipes using leftover turkey that you might not have the time – or desire – to make if you had to make them from scratch or you didn’t have that cooked meat already ready for you? Here are a few ideas: Turkey chili. Turkey tetrazzini with spaghetti squash. Turkey vegetable soup, with split peas for extra protein and fiber. Turkey wraps with soy sauce and diced vegetables wrapped in lettuce leaves. Turkey omelet for breakfast. For more, head to BariatricPal and ask on the boards! Give New Meaning to Quality Time You have a couple of days that may be a little quieter than other times. It’s good time to spend quality time with friends and family, and make it even higher quality by making it healthy. You can cook healthy recipes together, go for a walk, or even go holiday gift shopping. Of course, stay tuned for the BariatricPal Holiday Gift List to be published in BariatricPal’s Weight Loss Surgery Magazine! Again, thank you for being a BariatricPal member and for your support. We are truly grateful to have you along, and we hope we are helping you achieve your goals this holiday season.

thanks for the timely tips, Alex!!!

Just getting ready to head out for noonish buffet dinner....

No more does the lure of plates upon plates of T-day gut bombs lead me astray.

The challenge is continuing the modest discipline each day presents.

I feel so much better being NOT too full than the anxiety of being hungry ever was.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.